Bombs away!

The Marlborough Lines Stadium 2000 Aquatic Centre is intent on creating a big splash by bringing the Kiwi pastime of doing bombs under their roof with the installation of a new manu platform.

Operations manager Jack Foley said after liaising with staff and fellow aquatic centres around the country, he’s keen to see the biggest bombs from their newly installed, movable jumping platform on their 25th birthday in two weekends’ time.

“Last summer we just saw a big trend in people wanting to do manus or bombs, and so our new platform was built from us juggling activities here at the Aquatic Centre and what our community wants.

“We’ve been working out how we can make the manu platform a dedicated activity as it’s bringing in demographics of young people where we usually see their visits here drop away.

“As part of the troubleshooting, we had a staff night giving the platform a go ourselves while trying to do as many stupid things as you could and see how we can build policy around safe use.

“We had an early conversation with Porirua pools who have something very similar which has been a huge success for them, so we felt we’d give it a try.”

The new platform, which has had Sunday trial runs for the public over the past few weeks, comes as a well-timed gift for 25th birthday celebrations of Stadium 2000 on Saturday November 1, with Jack looking forward to an exciting day of celebrations.

“We’ll have free entry, the pool open 8.30 to 4.45, with the manu platform in from 12 noon onwards alongside our inflatable course, have-a-go sessions for underwater hockey, flipper ball and open swim lessons and a whole range of other activities out of the pools too.

“It’s been a fantastic facility over the past 25 years and bringing a Kiwi pastime on popping manus is the next evolution for what Marlborough wants.”